I just sent my laptop to the service center to get the keyboard fixed this Tuesday.
Meanwhile I am writing the next chapter on my computer at work.
They say the laptop should be done next week so hopefully my updates will not be delayed.
Good day, and welcome to chapter FOUR!
{Chapter Four: A Caged Bird}
Cloud is dreaming again.
It has been barely a few hours since he was last in this very mansion, trapped in the body of a small boy. This time though, he was in his own body. He looked around and found himself in the corridor on the second floor, where the little boy and girl were at.
He followed his recent memory and walked to the room with the piano. He could hear faint cries from beyond the door.
Slowly, he creaked open the wooden door and looked into the room, which was illuminated by the orange light of dusk through the wide glass panels. Over at the piano, the little boy sat alone, his face buried in his hands. Cloud stopped to question again, if this was a dream or a piece of long lost memory.
"Hey, little guy." He walked over, and put a knee down on the floor. "Why are you crying?"
"Mr. Strife?" the boy looked up at him. He had a head of unruly blonde hair, which made him look like he has not showered in a while. His face had streaks of tear marks and his light brown eyes were red and swollen. Cloud felt his heart ache for some reason.
"Why are you crying?" He asked again, patting the boy's head and shuffling the golden strands of soft hair between his fingers.
"I wanna go out." The boy replied, his eyes filling up with tears again. "But I can't."
Cloud wiped his tears away and pulled his hand. "Come, I'll bring you out."
But when he looked over to where he entered through the door previously, there was no door. Cloud felt his heart stopped for a moment and looked down at the boy.
The boy rubbed his eyes and pointed at the wall, where the door previously was. "I told you, I can't go out." He whimpered.
Cloud pulled him towards the window and they looked out at the big magnolia tree. "Are you alone? Where's the girl you were with?" The leaves on the tree did not move at all, time seems to be frozen here.
"I don't know…" The little boy looked up at him. "Mr. Strife, I've been here for so long… I'm afraid I will forget everything. Forget who she is… who I am."
"Don't worry, young man, I'll get you out." Cloud rubbed the boy's messy head. "I'm a big successful business man, believe me. I'll just call my guys and they will get us out soon enough, so don't you worry."
The boy looked up at him with wide eyes. "I know you're successful, Mr. Strife." He replied politely, "but were your eyes always blue?"
Cloud felt like he has heard this question before. He wanted to laugh at the kid's strange question but he found himself looking into a pair of big innocent eyes that seemed to know everything.
"Were they always blue?" He asked again.
"Mr. Strife... were they always blue?"
Cloud woke up in a start, his sheets drenched in cold sweat.
It has been so long since he last had any decent rest, yet all these stupid dreams just will not stop. He looks at the time; 14:15, it's only been hour and a half since he tried to sleep.
Cloud runs his fingers through his messy hair and stood up. He was about to take a shower when his phone rang, it was the Don's number.
"Don Corneo?" He answered.
"Hello, Cloud." A woman spoke slowly in a voice that sounded like she either tried too hard to be sexy, or spent too much of her youth drowned in alcohol.
"Scarlet." He called her out. "Where is the Don?"
"Why? Aren't you happy to hear from your mom?" She giggled. "The Don right beside me of course." He hears her giving a wet kiss to the Don.
Cloud wanted to throw up. "What do you want?"
"Mmmmm… That's not a good tone to speak with your mom, honey." She scoffed, "I got to teach you a lesson when we meet again."
"I'm hanging up."
"If you dare!" She squealed. "The Don wants me to ask you," she paused and sighed exaggeratedly into the phone. "Why did the Gainsborough girl call off the wedding?"
"I will speak with the Don directly."
"No, honey." Scarlet laughed. "You speak with me. The Don is too busy for your nonsense."
He hears the Don coughing in the background; he tries to remember the last time they met. "Aerith decided to pursue her dream to travel the world, so she called it off."
"Poor Cloudy-boy!" Scarlett laughed almost hysterically.
He hangs up and throws the phone on the bed; it bounces a few times before dropping off on to the floor. He really does not want to deal with this bitch now.
Reno threw the tennis racket, which hit the floor with a soft clank, and laid down on his back. "No more!"He shouted between heavy breaths. "I can't anymore!"
A tennis ball flew at him and bounced on his forehead but he did not bulge. "Please, no!" His voice echoed in the indoor tennis court.
Cloud wanted to continue; but this time, even Rude sat down on the floor. "Yeah boss," he panted. "We're too tired to continue."
"We should get prepared for the concert too," Tseng joined in, panting. "We're already late."
"Yeah boss!" Reno cried, "We ain't some superman like you!"
He rolled his eyes and threw another tennis ball at Reno; this time it hit him on the nose before bouncing off to join the previous ball.
Cloud has summoned them from their treasured weekend to play double tennis. Problem is, they have been playing since around three in the afternoon. It has been six hours.
"We should be able to make it in time for the encore," Tseng suggested, passing Cloud's towel to him. "Shall we make a move?"
Even Tseng could not take the outburst from Cloud any longer. Cloud nodded and wiped the sweat from his forehead.
This is a private Tennis court that Cloud has booked annually under his name; he is also a shareholder, so they had to concur when Cloud insisted to build a private adjoined changing room and bathroom. The trio went to the public shower and changed into their usual suits.
He was styling his hair in the bathroom when he heard them enter the waiting room. Tonight, he is wearing a black buttoned blouse with matching jeans and a pair of leather boots. He thought about joining the after party, since he probably will not getting much sleep again tonight. The trio outside though, they are probably at the verge of death. Cloud threw his dirty clothes in the laundry basket for the cleaners to wash for him and prepare for the next time he came.
They drove off in separate cars towards the concert location, except for Reno and Rude, who shared everything.
Tseng gave the security at the Central Midgar Stadium a call and their cars were escorted in through a private entrance. The security then led them to their seats, located in a concealed room above the stage where they could get the best view.
The crowd were cheering "encore" with so much enthusiasm that Cloud could feel their words vibrating through the leather couch he was sitting on. He put on a headset located on the arms of the couch to listen better to what Genesis was saying on stage.
Reeve came in from the backstage, and took a seat behind him. Cloud paid no attention to anything other than the concert happening below.
"Before the encore," he spoke in his usual charismatic voice, though panting, his words were still firm. "I would like to introduce all of you, to my muse." Cloud watched from the privacy glass as Genesis pulled Tifa over to the center of the stage.
He changed his focus to the TV screen on the wall above the glass pane, which showed a zoomed in live footage of the stage. "Miss Tifa Lockhart!" Genesis introduced. "I first met her, in a setting much like a scene in a Shakespeare play; she was playing the piano in a small bar and I was getting a drink to waste my night away. Instantly I knew, this was the missing piece to my music." He laughed.
"Thank you, TIfa, for helping me complete my music with your wondrous talent!" He could see Tifa's pixilated face on the screen blush as she nervously took a bow. Her eyes were darting around, and for a while, Cloud felt as though their eyes met; but she looked away from the camera quickly. "Next, for the encore, we bring to you a new experience of LOVELESS."
She was wearing a tight black dress with the front cut short, displaying her long legs; the back of the dress dragged along the floor as she walked back to the piano. She wore a pair of matching black wings on her back that bounced like they were flapping whenever she moved. Her hair were braided back into big locks which released into a black fountain of curls that splayed down her shoulders; a big ruby crystal was suspended on her forehead on a silver chain that was braided into her hair. With dark eye shadows and a bright red lip that matched her eyes; she looked like a fallen goddess.
Cloud tightened his lips. He was pretty sure there was no Shakespeare scene where a man met a woman who played the piano at a bar; this Genesis is just full of bullshit like usual. He took a sip of the red wine that was freshly served by the staff; it tastes like crap.
Instead of the electric guitar, Genesis changed to the classical guitar. A choir team joined in the back and Tifa started playing the piano. The crowd went silent as Genesis walked to the front of the stage, and sat on the edge facing the crowd. He joined Tifa with his guitar.
My friend! The fates are cruel.
There are no dreams, no honor remains.
The arrow has left the bow of the goddess;
My soul… corrupted by vengeance,
Hath endured torment, to find the end of the journey –
In my own salvation…
And your eternal slumber.
Legend shall speak of sacrifice at world's end;
The wind sails over the water's surface…
Quietly, but surely…
Cloud listened and he could feel the emotions coming from within Genesis' voice. The camera panned to the crowd with tear-striken faces, and Cloud took another sip of the shit wine.
"The next song," Genesis stood up, "is a song from my next album."
"It's a song that will make your hearts SCREEEEAAAAM!" He shouted, and slammed the guitar onto the edge of the stage, breaking it into two and dumping it to the bottom of the stage. The crowd started going crazy and Cloud wanted to cut off his ears.
Even if the morrow is barren of promises,
Nothing shall forestall my return!
To become the dew that quenches the land;
To become the sands, the seas, the skies,
I offer thee this silence sacrifice!
Genesis started playing an interval piece with his electric guitar, while Tifa's piano increases the speed of the tune. He ran around on the stage and the dancers behind him moved in front, covering him. Cloud saw him running to Tifa and grabbing her from the piano, throwing her over his shoulders where his guitar strap was. The drums were still loud and the violins and the basses continued playing.
"For the rest of this song, you would have to listen when the album is out!" Genesis laughed, and ran off to the backstage. "Good night Midgar!"
And there was a loud trumpet of the drums and basses before the lights on stage went out. The crowd took a moment to react before breaking into a frenzy of laughter and cries.
Cloud cringed.
"Didn't think you'd wanna come, boss." Reno laughed as he downed another shot of tequila before leaning back onto the leather couch, snoring. Rude was already down a while ago, sleeping soundly beside them. They were separated from the rest of the people, who crowded around the bar counter beside the pool. Apparently Tifa wanted to show off her bartending skills.
From the corner of his eyes, Cloud could only see the juggling whisky bottles flying into the air, and the crowd cheering. Tseng walked in with a couple more cocktails.
"Ms. Lockhart is really good at this." He laughed. "She made some for us to try."
Cloud took a sip of his whisky. "Didn't we hire a few bartenders?" He asked, "Why is she the one serving drinks?"
The after party was set at a hotel's open garden on the highest floor. It was a small party with a live band and floaters in the swimming pool. Cloud did not plan to stay long.
"I guess Ms. Lockhart took over their job today"
Cloud shrugged and took a glass from the tray Tseng served. "What's this?"
"That's, uh… that's called yellow bird." Tseng answered.
Cloud took a sip and found that it was just the right balance between dryness and flavor. He had to admit that her skills were true. They sat in silence drinking; Tseng occasionally bringing up some news he heard about the competitors, or the newly recruited singers, and Cloud would respond with a nod of his head, or some simple remark.
"You should send them back." Cloud pointed at Reno and Rude, who were snoring up a storm in the corner. Tseng barely touched his drink, because he knew he would be the one sending them home.
"Right." Tseng agreed. "What about you, boss?" He asked.
"You know I can drive back." Cloud deadpanned. It would take a lot to make him even remotely tipsy.
Tseng called for a waiter to help, and they pulled the drunken duo out to his car together.
Cloud finished his drink quickly and left the room. He walked out into where the main party was, moved past the drunken silhouettes and headed for the lift. It was so packed with people loitering about the lift lobby that Cloud decided to just take the stairs down, even though they were on the twentieth floor.
He walked down a flight of stairs before nearly bumping into a woman sitting on the steps.
"Oh, Cloud!" She greeted. "Why are you here?"
Tifa was sitting with her shoes off, her usual leather messenger bag beside her. "I'm leaving." Cloud shrugged.
"By going down the stairs?" She asked with her eyes wide. "It's a long way down!"
Cloud brushed her remark off and studied her. Her hair was still braided, but she has changed to a more comfortable set of clothing; a white singlet and a pair of low rise jeans.
Her feet though, were covered in blisters. Some were popped and she looked like she was trying to clean them up before putting on the heels again. "Are these your shoes?" He pointed at the pair of bright red, felted platform pumps.
"Oh, these, I loaned them from the events crew." She laughed, trying to hide her feet by scooting them under her thighs.
"Where are your shoes?"
She crinkled her nose. "I left them at the changing room."
The Midgar stadium is a ways out from here, so it was not logical to drive back there to get her shoes before sending her home. He stepped down a couple of steps so be was below her. He bent down and rested one of his knees on the ground. "Get on."
"Huh?"
Cloud sighed and pulled her arms over his neck and bounced her onto his back. He picked up her messenger bag and shoved it to her; she was too shocked to react. "No! You don't have to –"
"Hold on tight." He commanded, and started walking down the stairs.
"T-The shoes!" She struggled. "I have to return them tomorrow!"
"Leave them."
"Put me down!" It is a long way down, but Cloud knows it takes more than this to make him break a sweat. "I can walk!"
"No you can't." He continued walking.
"Yes I can, put me down!" She struggled and her flapping legs nearly knocked him off balance on the steps.
"Stop." He frowned, "Your feet stink."
Tifa took a moment to register. "What!? No they don't!" She cried.
"Stop moving your feet or it stinks up the air."
"IT DOESN'T STINK!" Tifa kept her left hand around his neck but her right reached up to tug on his hair.
"Stop."
"Hahahahaha!" She laughed. "Your fault for making it so spiky!"
Cloud thought her guts tripled in size today; must have been the alcohol. He thought she said she could not drink; lies, apparently.
"It does… look good on you though." She murmured softly under her breath.
She touched his hair again, and rested her head against his before wrapping her hands back around his neck. "I'm glad I took the job." She whispered.
Cloud did not like being close to someone, so he flinched slightly at her actions but she did not budge.
"Did you try the drink I made?" She asked, in a soft voice after he went down another few flights of stairs.
"Yellow Bird?"
"Huh?" She furrowed her brows. "What yellow bird?"
Tseng must have gotten the name wrong. "I drank the yellow one with Rum and lime."
"Oh!" She giggled. "That's the one I made thinking of you! It's called Mr. Chocobo."
The more she laughed, the more Cloud wanted to strangle Tseng. He felt her chest vibrating with laughter, rubbing against him. He wonders if she was nervous, because her heart was beating so loudly he could hear it in his head.
She laughed the whole way down.
When they were at the ground floor, the staff greeted him and passed him his car keys. "Do you need help, Mr Strife?" The staff asked. When cloud declined, they politely walked him to his car. "Mr. Tseng has instructed for us to park the car right here for you, sir." He gestured towards the nearest exit.
Cloud nodded and walked towards the car.
He sat Tifa down on the passenger seat and opened the storage compartment. He paused to look at the small pouch sitting in the corner; Aerith… always had everything prepared for him.
He pulls the pouch out and emptied the contents on his hand, taking out the antiseptic spray and a packet of tissues before closing the compartment. He pulled one of her feet towards him and rested it on his bent knees before spraying her heels and sides of her feet, where the blisters are.
She did not budge, so he made quick work of the other feet before wiping away any extra moisture from her feet. He sprays his hands and wiped them on his pants before tucking away the spray. "You know how to deal with this right?" He asked.
"W-What?" Tifa flinched and looked up at him with wide eyes.
"The blisters, you know how to deal with them right? Keep them dry."
"Y-Yeah…" She answered.
She has already taken off her make up, so it was pretty obvious that her cheeks were flaring a deep red. "Are you okay?" He asked.
"Yeah, yeah." She swallowed. "I'm fine."
He frowned and placed the back of his hand against her forehead. "You feel feverish."
"I'm fine. It's just the alcohol." She smiled, but the smile did not touch her eyes. He watched as she licked her dry trembling lips.
"Your heart rate is also unnaturally fast." He stated, not just fast, but extremely loud. He could hear it even now.
"Must have been the alcohol." She let out a dry laugh.
He shrugged, closed the door and walked over to the driver's seat. It was not long before Tifa started a conversation again, Cloud thought she was especially chatty today.
"Genesis is a really good performer." She smiled. "I was really impressed by his performance today."
He continues to focus on the road.
"He was also really sick today... That's why he didn't join the after party." Tifa continued, "I thought he wouldn't be able to make it. But he managed to pull through the concert."
There was a long silence before she spoke again, this time in a quiet voice. "Did you watch the performance today?"
He could feel her eyes staring at him with such intensity she could burn a hole on his face. He nodded.
"Do you think… I did a good job?"
"Yes, you did." He answered honestly.
She let out a deep breath and smiled. "Thank you!"
"You have great potential." He looked at her, so she could see the truth in his eyes. "Believe in yourself more."
He could see her wine-colored eyes shimmer under the street lights like a sea of stars; he tries not to think too much of the feelings revealed in those eyes. He focuses on the road instead; Tifa too, fell silent to her own thoughts.
The drive to Seventh Heaven (Midgar Edition) is as smooth as it can be, with roads filled with potholes and non-existent street lights. Cloud turned on the headlights and tried his best to make out the directions, with Tifa trying to help on the side.
"Can you drop me off at the backdoor?" She pointed at a turn by the corner. "It's closer to my room."
He looked at the narrow street, and wondered why would there even be a backdoor when the front door already looks like one. He turns around and corner and drove towards the other side of the road where the back door should be.
This street was even narrower and his car could barely fit. The road was made out of bricks, or lack thereof, so he had to move even slower to not ruin his tires. He wants to suggest for her to a different lodging again, but he kept silent as his mind reminded him that they are still pretty much strangers. He really should stay off her affairs.
It was a quarter past two in the morning when he reached. Cloud told her to stay in the car while he pulled out a pair of Charles from the boot; he walks over to the passenger seat and passed them to her. She slipped them on loosely and he helped her stand.
She looked comical when she pulled the shoes along with her as she walked to the door slowly. He helps her up the steps to the door and walked back to his car. She opened the door slowly and he found that she was looking back at him.
Her cheeks were flushed red, and her eyes looked watery. She really does look drunk, he thought.
"Could you wait for a second?" She asked. "I will change to my shoes and pass these back to you."
He paused for a second and looked at the pair of oversized shoes she was wearing. They were a gift from Aerith a long time ago. She had said she liked dark colors on him, how they contrasted against his hair and eyes. She… was already gone.
"You can throw those away." He answered, and got into the car. From the corner of his eyes he could see her walking down the steps to him, trying to say something, but he turned on the engine and drove away. He looked at the driver side mirror and saw her silhouette standing in the middle of the road waving at him.
Cloud thought about the look in her eyes tonight. Could it be –
He blames it on the alcohol.
I am still contemplating how I want their relationship to develop. Hopefully this chapter was written to your standards.
Thanks for the reviews: Nexxus176: I'm so glad you liked the chapter! , Lina: Hope you liked this chapter as well! , LadyOfReincarnation: Thank you for such a wonderful review!
I hope I can continue to make this story increasingly enjoyable for all of you!
Thanks for the alert subscriptions: Senhorita Caroline, bellatrixD
Thanks for the fav: Senhorita Caroline
XOXO, Lacie
Words this chapter without Author's crap: 3,974
Words in total without Author's crap: 14,744